Construction for raising sunken vessels



CONSTRUCT APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1920.

m 11 m 2 6v 9 .fi 6 a nH M w m fi m m m M m 2 v ATTORNEY WITNES:

P. DONAIRE.

CONSTRUCTION FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1920.

1,899,097. PatentedSept. a, 1921;

2 SHEETS-SHEEY 2.

PEDRO DONAIRE, OF HABANA, CUBA.

CONSTRUCTION FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

Application filed September 11, 1920. Serial No; 409,590.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEDRO DONAIRE, a citizen of Cuba, residing at Habana, Cuba, have invented new andv useful Improvements in Construction for Raising Sunken vVessels, of which the following is a specification;

My invention has reference to a method and means for raising sunken marine vessels. V y

In carrying out my invention, I propose to attach to the sides-ofa sunken vessel, adjacent to the bow and stern thereof, heavy chains of a strength to raise and support the vessel on the surface of the water, said chains being directed angularly over floats or pontoons that are secured in a novel manner to the sterns of wrecking tugs or-similar vessels which are anchored at points diagonally with respect to the sunken vessel, the said chains being further directed around windlasses on the said tugs, and simultaneous motion is imparted to said windlasses for drawing on the chain to raise the sunken vessel, the resistance oifered by the sunken vessel being compensated for by the anchorage for the tugs.

It is also my purpose to produce a method and means for raising sunken vessels, in which four wrecking tugs or similar vessels are arranged in spaced pairs diagonally with respect to each other and to the sunken ves sel and anchored insuch position, a float or pontoon, of a novel construction is attached to the stern of each of the tugs and provided with means for guiding thereover a chain or cable that has one of its ends arranged around a drum or Windlass in the respective tugs, and its other end attached (by a diver) to the sides of the sunken vessel at the bow and at the stern thereof, the operating mechanism for winding the cables on the drums or windlasses being simultaneously actuated whereby the strain or pull will be exerted on all of the chains or cables, and the buoyed elements at the sterns of the tugs preventing the sinking of the said'tugs at the stern portions thereof, the anchors resisting the strain of the; chains-or cablesat the bow end of the tugs, with the result that the vessel will be suiiiciently raised to permit of the pumping out thereof for repairs which will permit of the floating of the vessel.

I attain the foregoing objects, and others which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood by a construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings which accompany and form part of this application, or such modifications therefrom as fall within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings z- Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the manner in which a sunken vessel is raised in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stern portion of one of the wrecking tugs, part being in section, and illustrating the arrangement of the buoyant guide element for the chain or cable attached to the stern of a vessel, the said last mentioned element being in section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thebuoyant element or pontoon.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, a sunken vessel to be raised in accordance with this inven tion is indicated by the numeral 1. Attached to the sides of the vessel at the bow and stern thereof are strong chains or cables 2. These pairs of cables are directed at opposite angles away from the vessel 1, being disposed diagonally with respect to each other and to the said vessel.

Anchored from their bows in the body of water in which the vessel 1 is sunk are wrecking tugs 3. The tugs 3 are arranged in a direct line with the respective chains 2, and each of the tugs or vessels 3, at the stern portion thereof has supported thereon a drum or Windlass 4 to which the ends of the chains of the respective flexible elements are connected and around which the said elements are designed to be wound. Suitable mechanism is employed for revolving the drums 4. As any desired mechanism may be employed for this purpose, an illustration or a description thereof is not deemed necessary. It is necessary to state, however, that all of the drums are revolved simulta neously and at the same rate of speed.

lVei-e the drums actuated to revolve the cables, when the tugs 3 are anchored as above described, the weight of the vessel 1 would cause the sinking of the tugs at the stern portions thereof. To prevent this, I arrange on the stern of each of the tugs 3 a pontoon which has its body portion of a hollow preferably rectangular structure, and therefore presents the appearance of a pontoon. The pontoons are indicated by the numeral 5, and each of the said pontoons, at

'ancy of the pontoons,

one of its ends has a notched portion 6 which is shaped to receive therein the stern of the tug to which the pontoon is attached. -On the upper face ofeach of the pontoons, inward, but to the sides of the notch 6 there are secured eye members 7 to which are attached links 8 that have their ends connected to eyes 9 that are secured to the sides at the stern portion of the respective tugs 3. Thus each of the pontoons is bothhingedly connected and held in contact with the stern of the respective tugs 3. p I

'Each pontoon 5 has a central opening therethrough which is round in plan and concaved in cross section and within each of these openings is received a hollow spherical buoyant member 10. The spherical member 10 fully closes the opening in the pontoon. The members 10 add to the buoy- 7 being, of course, air tight. On the upper face of each of the spheres, at the center thereof there are spaced brackets 11 between the parallel arms of which are shafts .12 on which are journaled concave rollers 13 and around these rollers the flexible elementsQ are directed. The body of each of the pontoons 5 has an 7 angle passage 14 therethrough, and through this passage is directed theflexible element 2. The passage 14 is surrounded by a wall.

As previously stated, all-of the drums are designed to be revolved to wind the elements 2 therearound simultaneously and at the same rate of speed. Also, .as previously stated, the tugs 3 are anchored from their bows. The flexible elements-2 are secured to the sunken vessel 1 by divers. The turning of the drums, will, of course, draw on 1 the flexible elements 2, and as the same are thereof :will be thus effectively overcome.

wound around the'drums, the vessel 1 will be raised. The direct strain exerted be tween the flexible elements 2 on therespective tugs 3 is resisted by the anchorage for the tugs. The downward strain which would be otherwise exerted upon the stern ends of the tugs is delivered directly to the pontoons or buoyant members?) so that dan-' ger of the tugs sinking atjthe stern end The elements 8 are detachable, so that the pontoons or buoyant members 5 may be reranged on the quired for use, V away or toward the wreck. 'The'vessel 1 wlll' moved from the stern of the tugs and ardecksthereof when not reas when the tugsare turning be raised so that the'deck thereof will be brought above or in'a line with the body of water 1n whichthe said vessel has sunk, so

. that apparatusfrom a mother ship for the tugs may b'e'employed' for pumping the said vessel 1 to permit of proper repairsbeing made therein so that the l vessel can be.

floated, and when once floatedthe vessel can be towed by two'or more of the tugs. I It is thought that the foregoing descrip- 'iac the cable through the outer end of the pontom; a

each of the tugs,

tion, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully set forth the method and means employed for salving sunken vessels without further detail description, and therefore such will not be attempted.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, is

1. In a means for raising sunken vessels, strong flexible elements secured to the sides at the bow and stern of a sunken vessel and directed at outward angles therefrom, buoyant members anchored at the front thereof in a line with the respective flexibleelements, drums carried by said members, to which the respective elements are attached, means for simultaneously revolving the drums at the same rate of speed, and buoyant directing means for the elements hingedly connected to rear or stern portions of the respective buoyant members and having one of their ends in contact with the said stern-portions of said buoyant members.

' 2. Ina means for raising sunken vessels, strong flexible elements secured by dlvers to the sides at the bow and stern of a sunken vessel and directed at outward angles therefrom, tugs anchored from the bows thereof in a line with the respective flexible elements, drums on the tugs, means for revolving the drums simultaneously and at the samerate of speed, and buoyant members, each having one of its ends loosely connected to and in contacting engagement with the r 3. In a means for raising a sunken vessel, 7

strong cables secured to the sides at the bow and stern of a sunken vessel, and directed at outward angles therefrom, tugs anchored from their bows in aline with the respective cables, a drum on each of said tugs to which the, respective cables are secured, means for revolving the drums simultaneously and at the same rate of speed, a pontoon having a notched edge engaging spective tugs, means" forloos'ely hinging the pontoon to the respective tugs, and anti-frictional guides'on the top of each pontoon, ad-

the outer end' thereof for directing 4. 'In a means for raisinga sunken vessel, strong cablessecured to the sides of the bow and stern of a sunken vessel and directed at outward angles therefrom, tugs anchored from the bows thereof in a line with the respective fiexible elements, drums on said tugs to which the respective flexible elements are secured, means for simultaneously revolving the drums. at the same rate of speed, a hollow pontoon at the stern of each of said pontoons havthe stern of the reing a notched end to receive the stern keel ments are attached, means for simultaneof the said tugs, removable means for hingously revolving the drums, buoyant means edly connecting the pontoon to the respecat and in contact with the stern of the respec tive tugs, a hollow globular member distive tugs each having a central portion posed in the center of each of the pontoons which projects above the top and the bot- 25 and projecting above the top and bottom tom thereof, guide means on the upper and thereof, concaved anti-frictional guiding outer surface of said portions serving as means for the cables said globular members guides for directing the flexible elements on the sides and at the outer and upper surthrough the outer ends of the respective face thereof, and said pontoons having each pontoons, and said flexible elements, when 30 a passage therethrough adjacent to the strain is exerted thereon designed to first outer end thereof for the passage of the reexert a pushing action against the buoyant spective cables. means and to hold the stern of the tug from 5. In a means for raising a sunken vessel, sinking when the outer end of the pontoon strong flexible elements secured to the sides is arranged at a slight downward angle 35 at the bow and stern of a sunken vessel and with respect to the tug and is partially imdirected at outward angles therefrom, tugs mersed below the surface of the water incianchored from the bows thereof in a line dent to the strain of the cable thereon. with the respective flexible elements, drums In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. thereon to which the said respective ele- PEDRO DONAIRE. 

